Lake City

"Lie of Omission": City
Manager
Johnson Fires Back at Lake City Reporter
Editor, Robert Bridges

Posted
October 4, 2017 11:55 pm

Robert Bridges gives City Manager Johnson the cold stare
during Mr. Johnson's remarks.

By Stew Lilker

LAKE CITY,
FL – Monday night, October 2, was a tough
night at City Hall. After being criticized
by citizens; asked to resign by Councilman
Hill; and being skewered by Lake City's
mainstream media the day before: being
called a "liar by omission" by the paper's
editor Robert Bridges, City Manager Wendell
Johnson vented. Nothing got out of control
and Mayor Steve Witt, as he does with
everyone, did not intercede, allowing Mr.
Johnson to speak his piece.

The following is what City Manager
Johnson had to say on Monday night, as he
said it. Mr. Johnson's lead-in came after he
told City Councilman Hill he was not
resigning.

The Observer has added links to stories
and articles as they come up during Mr.
Johnson's remarks. Click the speaker to
hear Mr.
Johnson's remarks through the end of the
meeting.

This man sitting right here, Mr. Robert
Bridges, put a first for me in Sunday's
opinion, where I was accused of lying
by omission. That's a first for me.
I've been accused of lying before, but
never by omission.

This man promised me somethin' about
three months ago. I went to him, and
I'll look in your eyes when I say this
Robert, I said about this complaint that
I had not too long ago -- that I was cleared from, at a cost of about $30,000
to the taxpayers. Very thorough
investigation, initiated by Mr.
Koberlein, through a firm out of
Tallahassee called Adam, Norton & Blue.

About four days later, young Mr. Taylor
[Lake City Reporter cub reporter]
here comes over with a records request
wantin' the complaint. I called
Robert. 'How you goin' buddy. You callin'
this. I said well I don't need to - you
lied to me Robert and he said, 'I'm G.D.
tired of you. I'm G.D. sick of you. I'll
be G.D. glad when you're gone.'

That's the character this man has. And
I'm sick of it Robert. You can beat me
up in the paper, and I'll beat you up
here tonight. I think we can do better
with you and somebody at that Lake City
Reporter. That's all I got to say to
that.

Robert Bridges: (Bridges calls out
from the audience) You gonna' let me
respond to that?

Mr. Johnson: You're gonna' lie to
the Mayor too? You lie to me all the
time.

Mayor Witt: Briefly. I think this
is over night (Mr. Johnson cuts him off)

Mr. Johnson: Put it in the paper,
Robert. -Unintelligible- what I said to
you. Your a lyin' -- You've lied about
the Chief [Police Chief Gilmore]. One
time you said you wanted her fired. You
told Jeff Siegmeister [State Attorney],
'I want her fired. She's incompetent.'
Jeff Siegmeister told me and the Chief
that. You said you didn't do it.

The Chief might remember this when I
said, 'I'm puttin' my money on the
Chief.'

Mr. Bridges: (from his seat in
the audience) I sure went on the record
about you yesterday, didn't I?